Regional publisher Trinity Mirror has axed two of its divisional managing directors in a fresh management shake-up.
Bob Cuffe, boss of Trinity’s North-East subsidiary ncjMedia, is set to leave the business along with his North West and North Wales counterpart Warren Butcher.
Trinity Mirror has confirmed it has entered into consultations with both men, who were the last survivors of the company’s old regional management structure.
The move follows a pre-Christmas restructure which saw Steve Anderson Dixon become managing director for its North West and Wales businesses and Simon Edgley taking charge of the South, Midlands and North-East.
Bob was advertising director at the Teesside Gazette before becoming MD there in 2007.
His role was later enlarged to take in Newcastle-based ncjMedia after David Simms left to become publisher of the Leicester Mercury last year.
Bob also wrote a weekly column in one of the ncjMedia titles, The Journal, but this ceased when he became regional MD.
Warren has been MD of Trinity Mirror’s North West and North Wales division, which includes the Liverpool Echo and North Wales Daily Post, since 2008.
Other Trinity regional MDs who have departed in the past year include David Sharrock, who left his role as MD of MEN Media last autumn, and John Griffiths, who retired as boss of BPM Media in July.
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All change! (Or am I still stuck on the bus theme?)
If they carry on like this, one day it will just be Georgina Harvey.
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As a former workhorse in the North East, I may be missing the point. But are they expecting someone from London, with no experience of a very dynamic region that is poles apart from anywhere else, to run the business remotely, having taken out the local figurehead? Bonkers.
Ruthless.
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Steve – two people have just lost their jobs. You might think your comment is pithy, most would think it insensitive.
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Bob was one of the most likeable guys I worked for on various events from the launch of Metro to the recent business awards events. His wit with professionalism will be missed and it is sad to see him go
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All aboard the Trinity Mirror merry-go-round
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Here, here. Good luck to you, Bob. Top bloke, with a real passion for newspapers and the North East.
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Danny: It was an exasperated comment at the constant reinvention of management structures… I don’t see how it’s insensitive but, if anyone took it as such, apols.
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There have been so many reorganisations of the T-M regional management structure over the last few years it’s difficult to believe that this one will work or be the last.
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Georgina Harvey, managing director of Trinity Mirror Regionals, said: “Bob knows this region like the back of his hand and his understanding of the marketplace coupled with over 25 years of experience means he is expertly equipped to drive the North East business forward.”
HTFP July 2011
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